The present exemplary embodiments relate to a universal variable pitch interface for sheet handling in a modular sheet handling path. In particular, the embodiments relate to variable dimensioned sheet transport apparatus for interfacing between modular copy sheet processing path modules such as transport path sections and machines such as printers, finishers, and the like arranged on a fixed pitch modular grid or path. The embodiments have selectively variable dimensions to take up non-pitch spacings between the fixed-pitch devices disposed in the grid or path, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiments are also amenable to other applications and similar use as well such as in other material processing or handling systems arranged in a modular path topology.
In a conventional printing apparatus, sheet material or paper is handled by a series of sheet guides, rollers, and counter rollers forming nips and the like, arranged along a paper path. These printing machines typically include functional units on the paper path such as, for example, marking engines, feeders, finishers, inverters, or the like. The nips in the various functional units generate forces normal to the tangential surface of the rollers for urging the sheet materials forward and directing the sheets through the various functional units.
In the past, a wide variety of copiers and printers have been available on the market. However, paper path heights and directions for input and output on these machines have not been consistent across the range of original equipment manufacturers. Therefore, in response to customer demand for greater compatibility with various commercial feeding/finishing equipment to provide more in-line sheet processing options, a “standard” output height has been defined, more or less, by particular suppliers or vendors. However, these standards have been selected without regard to specification of downstream equipment. The task of delivering sheet output to other downstream devices has been handed to paper handling accessory equipment suppliers.
To address the concerns of interconnecting copiers and printers in a system having different paper path heights, U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,093 provides a free-standing movable sheet handling module of a fixed narrow width providing a universal interface for operatively connecting and feeding the sequential copy sheet output of various reproduction machines of widely varying ranges of sheet output level heights to various independent copy sheet processing units having widely varying sheet input level heights. There, a sheet feeding path extends from one side of the fixed width module to the other for transporting the copy sheets. The sheet feeding path is repositionable by vertically repositioning integral sheet path ends opening at opposite sides of the interface module.
The system identified above is highly advantageous when vertical height adjustments must be made between various sheet processing machines disposed along a sequential copy sheet path. However, much momentum has developed in the art recently toward modularity and, in particular, toward providing hypermodular paper paths in sheet processing systems. These hypermodular paper paths are intended to be usable to compose systems consisting of functional units such as marking engines, feeders, finishers, inverters, and the like, which need not be constrained in the positions of their respective inputs and outputs. Essentially, hypermodular paper path arrays include paper path modules repeating on fixed pitches to form a grid-like arrangement of transport units. Each of the hypermodules is constrained to have a predefined “standard” horizontal and vertical dimension in conformance with a pre-established physical connection convention, enabling the hypermodules to be easily and quickly assembled in a grid-like array.
Often, there is a need to connect processing machines with inputs and outputs separated by arbitrary distances, where, in particular, the distances are not commensurate with the fixed pitch of the sheet processing hypermodules. Moreover, there may at times be a need to couple an established first hypermodular sheet processing array with an established second hypermodular sheet processing array into a single, larger, modular array as by providing a hypermodular paper bridge path therebetween.
The above-noted connections are straightforward when the arbitrary distance between the respective inputs and outputs of the individual sheet processing machines match the fixed pitch of the sheet handling hypermodules. Also, in instances where a first grid defined by a first hypermodular sheet processing array is coincident with a second grid defined by a second hypermodular sheet processing array, connection of the hypermodular paper path therebetween is relatively straightforward. However, when the first and second sheet processing arrays fall on non-overlapping grids, there is a need for one or more non-fixed size elements providing a universal dimensionally variable pitch interface interconnecting the fixed pitch sheet processing machines in the first and second sheet processing arrays.
The present embodiments provide variable dimensioned paper path modules which overcome the above-referenced problems, and others.